The Editors Challenge 2016 At Mike Harbors East Bay Learning Center

The Editors Challenge began this year with Mike Harbour’s, one of New England’s top golf instructors at his new East Bay Learning Center on Rt 136 in Warren, RI. The goal quite simply was to take me from an average golf score of over 90 to 80 or less in 12 weeks of instruction by Mike at his East Bay facility with ½ hour lesson weekly and one practice session weekly of ½ hour. On average I play golf at least twice a week and rarely in the last two seasons have I been able to break 90 for 18 holes. It is difficult at best for any golfer to become a single digit handicap player from a 18 handicap. Considering weight gain issues for 60 + year old player, back and sciatic nerve issues that I have had for years and a late start into the game at 45+ this challenge is not going to easy. Mike has assured me that he can help any player improve immensely by using a step by step simplified individual program that is easy to follow. The weekly results are below and 8 weeks into the program I have not only broken 90 consistently but also 80 on two rounds.

The Editors Game Improvement Challenge With Mike Harbour

Week 1

In the first session with Mike Harbour we spent a little time reviewing a video he had taken when I was warming up before the lesson. I was never aware he was doing the video so in my warm up I hit balls pretty much the way I normally would with my ingrained golf swing. Immediately following my warm up Mike reviewed with me the video which is here for your viewing. It was clear in the video I was leading with my head in my swing and moving my head forward at the start of my downswing. Because the head is the heaviest part of our body, when it moves so to does the rest of the body. The result of all of this clearly shows in the video that my swing off plane and over the top producing low ball flight, pull hooks and a closed club face. It became immediately clear why almost all my miss hits with my irons and driver are low hooks and pulls

In the next 30 minutes Mike had me using position sticks for my target line at 12 o’clock and at 1 o’clock for my inside out swing path. We concentrated on only two simple drills alternating 5 shots for each drill in the next 30 minutes. The first drill was to take away and return the club to impact on the same or a similar plane keeping my right arm below my left with follow through. The next drill I was to concentrate on keeping my head behind the ball until impact. Over and over 5 shots on one drill, 5 shots on the other until I began to feel comfortable. He made it clear to me that he did not want me to think about two swing thoughts at once, only one at a time. I was not long at before most of my shots had much higher ball flight with a slight draw or fade. We worked our way up trough the bag all the way to the driver and the results were the same.

Key for first lesson swing path and head movement. Now it is my job during the next week to work on this drill to improve. Each Thursday afternoon after my lesson I play golf. Mike instructed me to only work on only one of the two drills while playing today. I played 18 holes and worked only on swing path. Many times during the round I hit high penetrating shots with much better ball flight. While this one lesson did not improve my overall score a great deal, it did give me a clear understanding of how I can become more consistent by ingraining a better swing path.

Dateline April 28th 2016 Week # 1

Home Course Handicap 18

My 12-16 Week Goal is to reach a single digit 9 Handicap

Week 2

In my first session with Mike Harbor we worked on swing path, and forward head movement.

From last week’s instruction I had an opportunity to play golf twice and a 30-minute practice session to work on last week’s drills. On Thursday I arrived at The Mike Harbour East Bay Learning Center at noon. As I warmed up Mike took the opportunity to review last week’s two drills I worked on and we discussed my two rounds played since my first lesson.

While warming up, Mike discussed simple and small changes we made to my swing in the first session, how to best apply them, and ingrain them each time I play. One of the most impressive aspects of Mike’s teaching style is how he utilizes my present swing and mechanics. To put it simply he is not trying to reinvent my golf swing but instead is working with what I have; taking into consideration my age, physical limitations and level of flexibility.

In session # 2 Mike once again slipped in a video while I was warming up and working on my head and swing path. After my warm up, he came over and played the video for me. As we worked my head movement a week earlier, we now were addressing the position of my head at my set up. It was apparent in the video that my head position was back in my setup almost looking at the back of the golf ball. In simple terms I was setting up with my head about 6-8 inches behind the golf ball creating a higher left shoulder and lower right shoulder at address. Mike explained that this is what was creating clean impact problems with the ball impact causing reduced height and ball flight.

Once again this drill immediately corrected my ball flight and impact. Mike then handed me my 3 wood which I have never been able to hit off the deck. With a club I just could not hit in the fairway, I hit a number of clean high shots with great distance.

Once again Mike’s instruction was simple to understand and the solution was very clear. After two weeks of instruction I have simple answers and a path to improvement. For the first time in almost 20 years of playing golf things are making sense to me.

Dateline May 4, 2016 Week # 2

My 12-16 Week Goal is to reach a single Digit 9 Handicap

My Average Golf Score Before Working with Mike 95- Handicap 18

My Best Score Since working with Mike 87 on May 1, 2016

Week 3

The most obvious things in golf are sometimes overlooked by amateur players who are seeking a path to improvement in their game. While many say that impact is everything and it does not matter how you get there, it is clear after week 3 in my instruction the foundation to good impact is a balance and swing plane. For years my golf swing has had only half of this, my takeaway is good but on transition from the top I have ingrained a steep over the top move on my downswing. It has resulted in miss-hits, poor ball contact and lower non-penetrating ball flight. Mike quickly determined I have 2 plane swing, having one of those planes right is like riding a bike with one pedal, it’s hard to find tempo and balance.

In session 3 we concentrated on staying on plane in the golf swing and following through to the target. The video clearly shows the comparison between my old habits and the fix. Keeping the club on plane in the downswing puts your both in more balanced position for impact and creates more consistent and reliable contact shot after shot. It was proven after about 10 shots that all landed on target with good ball flight and distance.

Knowing what just happened on any bad golf shot solves a lot of the mystery surrounding the game. Not knowing what went wrong on a bad shot is the most difficult question today for amateur golfers. Through instruction built around education, Mike Harbour has given me a better understanding of my golf swing and a clear path to improvement. For many golfers there is trepidation in taking lessons, we all feel someone is going to completely change everything we do and our game will get worse. Mike Harbour has found a way to custom tailor instruction to each individual and help them improve their game. After 3 weeks of instruction I have learned more about the golf swing then I have known in the last 20 years. And by the way my handicap card came out Friday of last week 16.7 index to 13.7, That’s right it dropped 3 shots.

Dateline May 16th, 2016 Week # 3

My 12-16 Week Goal is to reach a single Digit 9 Handicap

My Average Golf Score Before Working with Mike 95

My Index 16.7 Home Handicap 18

My Best Score Since working with Mike 87 on May 1, 2016

Friday May 13th New Handicap Index 13.7

Week 4

After 4 weeks of instruction I have had one single item to work on each week to improve my game. In week # 1 we worked on the head pulling the body off line in the golf swing and the resulting over the top swing getting me outside the line in my swing path. In week # 2 we worked on the position of the head at set up and being over the golf ball or just slightly behind it to create better impact and more consistent results. In week # 3 we focused on the swing path again and keeping the club on pane through the finish. Last week in week # 4 we worked on separation of my arm and shoulder from my head in my downswing to create more power and extension. Each week Mike has reviewed for a few minutes all the items covered as if they are all connected and part of the same motion we are trying to ingrain. Head position, head movement, staying on plane and this week creating separation so the arms have room to create power and extension.

I have played between 2-3 rounds a week since the first week of instruction with Mike Harbour. In all of them I have seen improvement and I am aware of what went wrong when I hit bad shots. During the 4 weeks I have posted 13 rounds ranging from 86 to 92, which is 5-6 stroked better than my scoring average. At Crestwood Country Club on May 7th and at The International in Bolton, MA on May 20th I played in tournaments. At both events I played better than I have in the last 10 years, hitting quality shots and scoring consistently throughout both rounds. Even though both were played as best drive in tournaments, it was clear to myself and my teammates I was playing at a much higher level than they had ever seen me play at.

The focus of week # 4 was separation for power and balance but it was clear to me that all the lessons from every week previously were connected to this week’s drill. Without good head position, good balance, a good swing path and minimal swaying and head movement separation for power and follow through was not attainable. Ingraining each week’s drills are the key to moving ahead to the challenges of consistency and better scoring. The strange thing that has surprised me the most with 4 weeks of work with Mike Harbour is I have yet to have any discussions or drills with Mike dealing with my short game which has been terrible for years. For the last couple of weeks my chipping and putting are both improving and I have to think it all is connected somehow.

Dateline May 22nd, 2016 Week # 4

My Starting Index 4 Weeks Ago 16.7 Home Course Handicap 18

My Current Index 13.7 Trending 13 Home Course Handicap 15

Week 5

The process of ingraining new habits and swing thoughts in your golf swing is one of the most difficult aspects for students of the game. While each week in a 30 minute lesson Mike Harbour can easily assess and adjust your techniques and get you back on track, it is common for all players to fall back to their old habits. There is no secret or shortcut to applying what you learn each week and taking it to the golf course with 100% results. It is a process week to hit more good golf shots each time I play a round of golf.

Week one to week five I have set a goal each time I play for a set number of good golf shots. It has varied, in my first week it was five, now five weeks into this it is 12. If you play a round of golf and hit 12 good golf shots your scoring average will come down. I have played much better rounds and also have had rounds that were terrible during the last 5 weeks. There are no quick fixes in the game that transform your game overnight, it is a process.

Each week during my warmup before working with Mike I try to focus on the key elements and fundamentals he has pointed out for my improvement path. Every week at some point during the warm-up, he sneaks in a video which he reviews with me prior to any lesson. It gives me a perspective on how I am doing and what needs attention. My most difficult challenge right now is consistent ball striking and alignment. The courses I have played on over the last 5 weeks are all maintained with very short grass height and firm conditions. Segregansett Country Club in Taunton, MA my home course is known for fast tight fairways, deep thick rough and fast firm greens. You need to make good contact and hit good shots to score. So to is TPC Boston where I played 36 holes over the weekend and The International in Bolton, MA where I played an event last week. All these facilities are players courses and the better impact you make the more good golf shots you will hit. In the last 4-5 weeks I have also played less difficult courses like Crestwood Country Club and Swansea Country Club and scored much better overall and found it much easier to play with the ball sitting up a bit on the grass.

One thing is for certain, I will show up at The Mike Harbour’s East Bay Learning Center every week on Thursday and get my fix on my game, I will get better by ingraining tempo, swing path and good posture.

Dateline May 29nd, 2016 Week # 5

My Starting Index 5 Weeks Ago 16.7 Home Course Handicap 18

My Current Index 13.7 Home Course Handicap 15

My Current Trending Index is 12.7

Week 6

Most golfers in the game today give up more strokes from 100 yards in then in any other part of their game. The short game in golf from 100 yards in accounts for about 50% of a good players scoring but well over 70% of the scoring for the average amateur golfer. Why is it so difficult ? It’s no secret that course designers place most of the trouble in course layouts in the final 50-100 yards to the green to make it more difficult and challenging to score. Many greens are protected by multiple bunkers, heavy rough and strategically placed water hazards. To make things worse green surfaces are often undulated and sloped with the quickest surfaces on the course.

Having said all of this, its seems ironic that most golfers practice long to mid irons and drivers at the range and spend little or no time on their short game. More strokes are lost in golf’s short game than anywhere else on the course and the reason is simple, if you cannot chip your ball close enough to make a put on a consistent basis you’re going to be adding 3-4 strokes to score on almost every hole from 100 yards in.

The crazy thing about the golf swing is that what happens in your short chipping swing somehow always finds it way to your full swing. Great short game players tend to be great ball strikers with all their clubs. Week #6 at the East Bay Learning Center was all about chipping. Mike explained to me in simple terms how to relate my short game to the hands on a clock by beginning with a short swing chipping the ball about 10 yards. Using the clock I was to start my downswing at 7 O’Clock and follow through to 5 O’Clock. For longer chip shots the distance was fro 8 to 4 and finally from 9 to 3. It was not long before I had developed a swing length for each distance always following through as far back as forward.

While the concept seems completely logical it takes some work to ingrain and master your distances and to always choose a proper landing zone, especially on the greens. Once again when I took my game to the course of Thursday right after my lesson I realized there are additional challenges depending on slope, surface and lies you are faced with. Just the same knowing these simple rules of distance and swing length allowed me to put myself in a better position to score with a plan.

In the last week I have learned what happens in the short swing will happen in the full swing every time.

Dateline June 6th, 2016 Week # 6

My Starting Index 5 Weeks Ago 16.7 Home Course Handicap 18

My Current Index 13.7 Home Course Handicap 15

My Current Trending Index is 12.7

Week 7 & 8

Bringing The Pieces Together

The last two weeks have been a culmination of the lessons over the previous 6 weeks. Head position at address, head movement, body sway, swing path and staying down through impact. Seperately each of these individual lessons represent a piece of a single issue with my golf swing.

Each week over the last 8 weeks Mike has always talked a little bit in each lesson about things we worked on in previous lessons. In a sense he weekly tries to check on progress and ingrain the techniques he has taught me by making sure I am not forgetting to keep all of the pieces of the puzzle of improvement in play in my weekly practice and rounds played. I think for me this past week on one of the hotest days of the year ( 90+)

I had a more complete understanding of how to bring all the weeks of lessons together.

Mike Harbour in his teaching philosophy and unique expertise does not just teach you how to play golf better, but instead how to understand why.

Quite simply he designs specific tools for each student to use so they may fully recognize not only their good shots but also understand their bad shots and why they happened. After listening to every golfer I play with over the last 20 years tell me what I did wrong, I finally know , I can feel it and I know how to fix it the next time. In a sense I now have a Garmin for my Golf Game, so when I get off track I can get back on. If I have learned one thing about the game of golf in the last 20 years it is that this game is hard enough, we need to be able to have some understanding.

Mike worked this week on my ability to ingrain my head position over the ball through the shot and minimizing movement through impact. It amazing how much higher you can hit every club if you just commit to staying down through impact and finish. It not easy, it takes some work but the results are very gratifying and the improvement in scoring and confidence over the ball is priceless.

Week 8 after my Thursday at noon lesson I played my best round in years. 80 from the back tees at my home course Segregansett CC

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